To make the upgrade path easier, Microsoft has made available a number of training tools and videos for IT managers and users. eWEEK Labs has evaluated some of these tools, and weve found them to be helpful in educating users on how to work comfortably and productively in Office 2007. All the Office 2007 training materials are available at Office Online and are free.

When we first started testing Office 2007, it took us a while to figure out where the commands we used most often in Office 2003 were located in Office 2007. Realizing that most users would have the same problem, Microsoft released interactive command reference guides that allow users to click on a specific Office 2003 command and then be automatically directed to the location of that tool in the Office 2007 versions of Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
Users who need more hands-on help with Excel and Outlook can get in-depth training at Office Online. Also available are 30- to 60-minute "Get up to Speed" training courses that familiarize users with the Office 2007 suite of applications and the ribbon interface.

IT managers concerned about the new file formats introduced in Office 2007 can point users to the file-format section of Office Online, which includes videos explaining the new file formats, how to use the compatibility modes and how documents can be shared among different versions of Microsoft Office.
Not all the training materials are user-focused. Microsoft also is offering tools that help corporations develop training programs for employees during Office 2007 deployment. The tool, called the Enterprise Learning Framework, asks IT managers a series of questions regarding their deployment and then recommends learning topics that they can relay in the form of URLs to users.
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As a senior writer for eWEEK Labs, Anne writes articles pertaining to IT professionals and the best practices for technology implementation. Anne covers the deployment issues and the business drivers related to technologies including databases, wireless, security and network operating systems. Anne joined eWeek in 1999 as a writer for eWeek's eBiz Strategies section before moving over to Labs in 2001. Prior to eWeek, she covered business and technology at the San Jose Mercury News and at the Contra Costa Times.